What is the best visa option for someone frequently entering Thailand and planning to get married?

recommended.

It's the perfect solution for your situation as married to Thai.

Then no further questions from Thai immigration on arrivals in the future.

I have placed the TOPICS of ***Savannakhet

***Vietnam

Thai Embassy's on your Post...

CLICK on them and all posts about the Non O multi-entry Visa as Married to Thai will Pop up to read.

Tod *********

With your frequent entries to thailand AND if you're getting married this trip you might wanna think about swinging by the thai consulates in either Savannakhet Lao or Ho Chi Minh City Vietnam and getting a year-long, multi-entry Non-O visa based on marriage to a thai. I mentioned those two consulates because they do not require proof of funds to issue the visa

AND

A year-long multi-entry will meet your needs of frequent entries/exits far better than jumping thru the hoops to get an in country Non-O visa and then a yearly extension (and that's if you'd even be IN thailand long enough to get through that process at an immigration office 😕 )

Tod *********

that year/multi-Non-O gives you unlimited entries for the duration of the visa (a year from the date it's issued) and each entry gets you stamped in for 90 days.

It's tailor-made for people married to thaiz who travel a lot 🙂

Darryl *********

ORIGINAL POSTER

Any idea about timeframe to get this sorted out in Lao/Vietnam and if the spouse needs to be present? These 2 are definitely looking like the best bet. Savannakhet doesn't seem like too far a drive from Udon so likely looking at that.

Will also reach out to the Thai Embassy in Malaysia as I'm holding a Malaysian passport to see what options there are there as well - My main issue is having the THB 400k basically locked up permanently in Thailand, so any option that allows proof of funds overseas would also work for me.

Tod *********

neither HCMC or Savannakhet require your spouse with you,

HCMC does require an appointment to get in the gate to apply.

Savannakhet is walk up service, apply one day in the morning pick up your passport the next day in the afternoon (not counting weekends)

Darryl *********

ORIGINAL POSTER

Not literally locked up permanently, but making sure of 400k balance each year is more complicated to me than transfering in 400k and not touching it.

Will ping the Thai consulate in KL and see what happens, but gor the moment, Savannakhet definitely seems to tick all the boxes especially with the short turnaround and not requiring an appointment. Hopefully there's at least some touristy things to do over the day or two sorting this out.

Tod *********

yeah, there really isn't all that much but two days to get a visa that you can use for the next year for trouble free entry isn't gonna be all that much suffering 😛

Right now you're playing roulette coming in on visa exempt entries 😮 At some point they're gonna turn you around and ship you back out 😕 (deny you entry) even WITH proof of onward travel, proof of 20K baht in CASH, proof of lodging, it's just not gonna work out long term post-covid shit show

That year multi Non-O is the best thing for you

Darryl *********

ORIGINAL POSTER

Yup, not doubting you in the slightest. Point of posting here was purely to see if the knowledgeable ones (yourself included) in the group had suggestions/alternatives where the funds were either not required or not required to be in Thailand (I vaguely recall this from somewhere but I believe it's tied to specific passports).

Tod *********

contact the malay embassy IN Bangkok see if they can issue you an affidavit of income from abroad notary document that states you get a minimum of 40K baht a month income from outside thailand. IF they do you can use that to meet the proof of funds.

Darryl *********

ORIGINAL POSTER

Thanks for all the advice.

Have reached out to:

1) Thai Embassy Kuala Lumpur - Regarding year-long multi-entry Non-O (ideally they would accept proof of funds in Malaysia)

2) Malaysian Embassy Bangkok - Regarding Affidavit of Income. This may be interesting as I'm technically based out of UAE, but will see what they say first.

Will also speak to:

3) Udon Thani immigration - To see if they have any suggestions/advice.

Also wondering if it's worth considering a Tourist Visa (either SETV/METV) from the Thai Embassy Kuala Lumpur, or if that has the same odds as rolling up to DMK/BKK with a Visa Exempt.

Tod *********

Contact the thai consulate in KL and see if you can get a year-long multi-entry Non-O from them

Tod *********

you wouldn't need the 400K baht "locked up permanently" dunno where you got that info 😕 you need the funds in the account for 2 months before you apply for your year extension and then you're free to use it as you want as long as it's back in there 2 months before the next yearly extension